Nebraska basketball head coach Fred Hoiberg talks roster, summer workouts I Husker Hoops I GBR

been there and done that you seen noticeable differences just level of maturity and guys knowing the expectations of what it well I think it's a very mature group uh but I thought last year was was very mature as well and we we were the oldest team in the Big 10 a year ago and I think we're going to be up there at the top again this season and these guys the one thing I've I've really learned about them in the first uh just about month that we've had him is it's a very competitive group of guys and I I've been really pleased with their approach how they've uh come into the gym every day ready to go uh we don't have to jump them light them up they're ready to uh get after it as soon as they step on the court they've made great gains in the weight room that's a big part of our summer development is in the weight room with uh with Kurt and in our medical staff and it's it's been fun to see him grow we uh we just got Braxton on the court this week for Live Action in in half court drills and uh and he's got a chance to be a force uh out there and you know it's fun to see he and Andrew Morgan out there battling I've I've been really really impressed with Andrew and his physicality and his skill level he's got great footwork on the Block and and uh and Justin Bullis has given us uh good reps out there as well especially when Braxton was still out with his with his thumb injury so we've got pretty much everybody uh back on the floor now uh still taking it a little bit slow with Braden frager with his wrist injury uh but he is out there with with the team doing shooting drills and doing all of our script stuff we're just keeping him out of live play right now and probably won't get him until the fall uh once we start start with classes but uh it's been a fun really fun team to be around very similar makeup to last year's group uh it's been fun following uh ber in the um uh in the under 20 European championships and looking forward to getting him back here uh most likely in the middle of August can you talk about that front Court I guess how early in the process did you start preparing for not having rink masks and then how much of a priority getting a guy like Andrew and then adding later on yeah Andrew has um he he gives us a lot of the same skill uh level that that that rink has he he he's got a really good feel and he the thing I've really you know we double team the post we come from the from the Baseline side uh it's hard for posts in the system to get good looks but Andrew has still found a way to finish at the basket with different high low type actions and we're still experimenting with things um you know we're certainly going to have our Staples as far as getting the ball at the floor quickly playing with Pace as far as what exactly the system is going to look like we're still experimenting with some of those things can we run the same actions that we did with rink with Derek where both those guys let our team and assists the last two years uh with Braxton on the floor it may look a little bit different than when Andrew is out there and we still haven't had him in Full Court action yet so you know once we get our full team out there uh we'll see exactly what it looks like what system we're going to have in play um but uh the thing that again i' I've liked the unselfishness of this group what they've shown so far uh we're still turning it over too much I think as probably everybody is at this stage but we really just started going up and down live about a week and a half ago uh before that it was it was a lot of just putting the system in and doing a lot of individual skill fundamental work and now with the whole team out there it's been fun to see these guys get out and compete how important is just the of and Jawan to this group yeah Bryce Jawan uh Sam and um Aaron was was part of it a year ago and kale uh Jeff Henry you know all those guys were here which is important and you know having those guys that were that were out there and can help te the thing I've been impressed with is the leadership and how those guys have stepped up in that area with uh you know casay off the floor CJ was a good leader for us a year ago with uh no rank no Mah somebody had to step up in that area and I think those guys have done a really good job and we challenge them it's your job to really help these young guys and new guys adapt to what we're trying to do with with the system that we're putting in on both ends of the floor and I've been really pleased with our veterans uh helping the new guys along and they've picked it up very quickly we've got a high IQ uh team that's that's one thing I've seen uh to this point as well and with our system being a read and react uh you have to have a team that's got smart players out there and I've seen that uh but I'm proud of those older guys the guys that have been here to help uh the new guys along the way how are you see involved yeah you know rink is he's out actually shooting a little bit right now not not moving but uh he's he's ahead of schedule with his rehab you know we're still going to stick to the plan with with him not playing this year but he uh he's still involved he's on the sidelines he's over there talking um you know he and Joe obviously know what we want what we're trying to do so to see those two guys over there you know really trying to talk and when Braxton comes off the floor you see Josiah at times bring him to the side or rink bring him to the side and let him know if he made a mistake and rink's going to be a big part of this and you know I've been happy with Josiah in his role what he's doing is he continues to rehab and get ready to resume his playing career after after the season but um you know it's like I said it it's been it's been fun you know obviously we haven't hit much adversity to this point we haven't played a game yet but you know I've been very impressed with the overall makeup of this this group of guysen transition being more um well I had a a debate with him on on a chicken or steak burrito bowl for about 20 minutes yesterday and finally I just said Joe I got I got work to do so I had to kind of kick him out out of my office but um he he's he's adjusted well I mean every anything that we need I mean those guys are invaluable those those grad assistant positions that we have and those guys can be on the floor with our players players as soon as our hours are up we get four hours a week with them on the floor but the G can be out there and rebound and and and help them and talk to them and uh been I've been really pleased with Joe you know it's hard to transition from being a player that played with a lot of guys to all of a sudden now you got to coach them and uh and be there and you know maybe get on him at times but you know I think Joe's going to he's going to be a really good coach when it's all said and done always had where different guys Trigg the offense but how do you feel about that point guard situation kind yeah I I uh I love everything Raleigh's all about and you know he's got a a chance to be the only Husker ever to score a th000 points get 500 rebounds and 500 assists if he has an okay year he he will achieve those numbers and you know anything and talking to anybody that's been around Raleigh or played against Raleigh all they say is he he does whatever it takes to win and you can see that his shot looks really good right now he's been working really hard on his shot and he uh he just does all the little things right he guards he uh he makes the right play rebounds the ball and and he takes good shots he's got a good shot selection but his overall feel is uh is is I guess exceeding a little bit what what we thought coming in and I had high expectations on that and then Ulus again being here he's one of the best I've seen getting the ball up the floor quickly getting the outlet pass throwing ahead uh you know he's shooting the ball he really worked on that last year when he sat out and another guy that I think has a really good feel and then Bryce played a lot with the ball in his hands a year ago Sam's getting reps uh out there I think Gavin uh you know can bring the ball up the floor love Gavin his approach is uh his confidence when he shoots the ball um you know Connor been really pleased with him he's had a great week of practice so it's going to be you know my biggest job this year and I know I talked about this last year is figuring out a rotation and figuring out who uh should be on the floor and help us win games and you know I probably won't know that you know all the way up in into to November but you know we're taking notes right now who's being the best talker who's going out there every day and being consistent um you know who's going out there and doing all the little things and you know I'm going to have a a really tough job when it's all said and done on who's going to be the guys not only the start the game but you know probably more importantly who finishes the game um but that point guard spot I've been I've been pleased with what I've seen and um again the multi multi- Handler system we got a lot of guys that can initiate the offense what do you see is bry's next and yeah his overall PA I just I've been so impressed with Bryce's just overall pace and demeaner and you know he's he's a two-way player that I think has a chance to play at the next level there there's no doubt about it with his positional size and his uh you know his overall skill level he can do it uh you know on the post in the mid-range which I don't love as you guys know but he's a good mid-range shooter and then he can you know 40% three-point shooter so uh and then the way he got to the free throw line ESP especially at the end of the year uh you know was something that was really impressive so really building off that and then just becoming a really consistent Defender and when we put him on the ball our defensive numbers skyrocketed so you know I'm I'm looking uh you know to Bryce you know to be a leader on this team a consistent leader whatever is happening on the floor and he's got a chance to have a heck of a year balance adjusting to what you have with your personnel but also sticking with the formula that you've had through your career and also what has worked so well over the past couple years here just the fact that mention bigs you have two point guards now vetan point guards how do you walk that line between not ditching everything you did the last two years but also playing your team yeah it's it's it's our number one job as a coach is to look at our overall skill level and Talent on the roster and then put in the system based on the skill sets of the of the players and you know I I have adjusted pretty much every year I've done this whether I have pure point guard whether the last couple years we really play through our bigs a lot uh you know especially without a true point the last couple Seasons this year we have true point guards so it it may look a little bit different as far as who is initiating the offense but it's you know again when you look at it offensively defensively how are we going to adjust how are we going to change with Braxton on the floor you know we've been at the level pick and roll defense uh you know the last couple years with Braxton his ability to protect the rim you know we may have to play a little bit different with him out there we're still putting in our principles right now uh but as we continue to see you know what we have who we've got uh you know we will adjust accordingly but you know that's our number one job is to figure out the system uh based on the skill level and skill set of our players and again we're still in the process of doing that just starting to go live a couple weeks ago uh but we'll get there you were out on the road looking at portal guys and recruiting can you see the difference just from last year's success do you see it trans you're talking to guys in up yeah I think so um yeah I mean listen it's it's a whole different landscape right now with everything involved with the portal with nil and you know you just try to talk about the things that you can help these guys achieve with their careers and I think we were fortunate to get a couple players that were played in The League last year couple of them you know what they thought their best the best environment in the Big 10 Conor Sean said PBA was the loudest in his opinion and so I think that makes an ression when when you play against it I think he really likeed the system and how we use casay uh same thing with Gavin as we were talking to him um you know some success that we've had with point guards I think really helped attract uh Raleigh and uh yeah I mean having success certainly helps um but there's a lot there's so many things at play now with with the landscape of College athletics and you just try to do the best you can and and go out there and and uh you know build a team that you think that the fan base can be proud of and I'm I'm very confident that we have that group again guess nonc conference schedule I guess what were your kind of thoughts and designing that and how do you feel ended up yeah I feel good about it you know obviously the uh the game in in sou Falls you're playing the team uh that won their League last year in St Mary's uh you know Randy Bennett's one of the best in the business and uh it's going to be a great opportunity against probably a top 15 uh team in the country uh you know kraton is is going to be really good again playing that game on the road we're going to get three highquality games in Hawaii uh over Christmas and then I you know I think our our home non conference schedule uh we're going to get tested as well and then 20 League games and the four teams that were added with USC UCLA Oregon and Washington I mean that's going to be an absolute grind uh playing those 20 games so I feel good I feel good about our schedule we're going to get tested and uh it's going to help us come Big 10 play all right thanks guys